From left, locals PJ Gerrard, Janette Mestre and Diane Christopherson Reed visit Laguna’s eerily similar first sibling, Menton, where the water temp is 76 degrees and there was a brush fire this week.

The Laguna Beach Sister Cities Association recently received City Council support in acquiring San José del Cabo in Baja California Sur, Mexico, as an official sister city, second to its current sister city of Menton, France. Additionally, St. Ives, in Cornwall, England also became an official friendship city, also approved recently by the council.

LBSCA has worked to expand its sister cities relationships to reach locations closer to home to further develop tourism and business opportunities.

San José del Cabo was officiated the recommended choice out of 20 publicly submitted city candidates.

St. Ives is a similar walk-able seaside town with a tourism-based economy that revolves around an art colony. In addition to the common surfing and fishing industries and common language, there exists a past link to Laguna Beach with famous historic artist William Wendt. Ed Postal, owner of Barnaby Rudge Booksellers, and local travel agency International Travel Planners suggested St. Ives.

Laguna local David Peck, left, receives a painting of St. Ives Harbor and presents St. Ives’ Mayor Ron Tulley with gifts from its new sister city.

LBSCA plans to host delegates from San José del Cabo this fall and members plan to travel there during Thanksgiving weekend.

The public is invited to join the organization, which meets on the first Mondays of the month at 9 a.m. at Laguna Art Museum. Membership information is available at lagunabeachsistercities.org.